Chapter 4:
The Storm
10 years ago...
Light rain had begun to pour in the enchanted forest. The smell of wet mud and wood overfilled the air as the small party of Northuldran hunters continued to walk through the forest with their spears pointed outwards.They were being led by a man who went by the name of Ámmon. He was a man of large stature, a very skilled hunter and also a rather strong man. His experience when it came to hunting and also big-game hunting led him to be named head hunter and leader of the Northuldran Warriors.
That is after all what they called themselves. Their duty was to protect the forest at all times, to always make sure there were no Arendellian intruders trying to invade their camp as well as any wild animals that wanted to feast on them. But they also took it among themselves to hunt for food and any sort of necessities.
He led the way into the deep forest as the rain became heavier and heavier. His fellow hunters following behind him and right next to him a little girl and a little boy.
His twins. The twelve year old children were experiencing their first of what would be their many lessons with their father. The two wielding their own miniature spears they had just crafted that morning. It was tradition between the Northuldrans that all little boy's be taken on their first hunt at the age of 12, part of their journey into what would soon be manhood.
The Northuldran always expected this from all their sons, especially from Ryder, Ammon's only son. But no one could have ever predicted that he would also bring his only daughter in as well.
Since an early age, Honeymaren always showed a deep love and appreciation for the forest and it's inhabited critters and animals. She loved nature and watching her father always return home with successful hunting game and beautiful souvenirs from the deep forest always inspired her to one day become a Northuldran Warrior herself.
Many in the tribe rebuked this, thought it was too improper and laborious for a lady. Even her own mother feared it would only hurt Honeymaren in the future. But her father thought otherwise. He made a promise to the two of his children that on the first morning of their twelfth birthday he would take his children to experience their first hunt and take them under his wing so he could train them to become warriors like him.
And here they were. It was early morning like their father had promised and despite the sudden rain, it did not stop him from breaking that promise as he continued to lead the way. Many in the Northuldran hunting party of course found it strange that a girl, let alone a young girl should be accompanying them. But no one dared question their leader.
Ámmon stopped dead on his tracks and at the same time lifted his hand up to signal to the rest of the party to likewise do the same. He firmly put his hand down and blocked his children from walking any further as he cotinued glare out to the wet forest. Honeymaren lifted her head up as she studied her fathers serious expression. How brown eyebrows firmly pressed together and his long brown hair wet from all the rain. His eyes brown eyes that were much like hers that never losing focus on the view in front of him.
"We can see you." He suddenly spoke out load with that deep voice of his. "Come on out from your hiding, we will not engage you."
Silence filled the air once again, only rainstorm able to be heard. The twins looked out towards the empty and green forest, trying to find whoever it was their father was just talking to. Several seconds of silence went by with no one even replying to Ámmon again, but just as his children were going to doubt in their father, the green wet bushes began to move unexpectedly. At first frightened by what was going on, Honeymaren drew herself closer to her father. But as the bushes became more exposed she became less frightened.
Arendellians, the Northuldrans swore enemy. Several of them had been camouflaging behind the bushes, waiting for the part of Northuldrans to pass by them without being noticed. But Ámmon was a far too skilled hunter befor that could even go over his head.
Their leader stepped forward, his shield strapped tightly to his left arm and his right hand gripped hard around his sword. Lieutenant Mattias, the tall man glaring equally as hard as Ámmon. They've seen this dance before, Northuldran and Arendellian confrontation has a deadly past and neither of them planned on letting it go.
"We were just passing through." Spoke Lieutenant Mattias.
"On your way then." Replied Ámmon. The Arendellian soldiers did as they were told as the Lieutenant led his own away from the confrontation as he continued to glare at them all.
They were alone again, and this time there were no distractions. Ámmon turned his attention again to the forest as he continued to lead the way. Heavy drops of rain had now developed even with the slightest sound of thunder coming from the four peaks.
"Hey Maren." Whispered Ryder to his sister.
"What." Whispered Honeymaren as she continued to look out for game to hunt.
"Do you think the Arendellians went their way because of the smell?"
"What smell?" Asked Honeymaren. When her brother gave no response she turned to her brother to question him again. "What smell—" But when she saw his giant grin and the horrible stench filled her nostrils she realized what he was talking about.
"UGH, Ryder!" She yelled at her laughing brother and she punched his right arm. "That isn't funny, it stinks!"
He laughed ever harder when he saw his sister gag and then cover her nose with her hand. "You should be used to it by now, Maren. We're twins! Besides yours are worse than mine."
"Mine are not as bad as that! No living thing will ever be used to that smell, Ryder. It's bad enough to kill someone!" Ryder laughed even harder. "You're going to scare of the animals!"
Ámmon turned to his children, laughing with that deep voice of his. "Ha Ha, all right you two come here." He gestured to them as they made their way over to him. He crouched down to the tall grassroots where the rest of the party did the same and followed his example.
"Do you see them?" Asked Ámmon to his children.
"See what, what are we supposed to be looking for?" Asked Ryder.
"Yeah I don't see anything papa." Added Honeymaren.
"Wanna get a better look?" Smiled their father as he pointed with his chin to the large tree beside them. Honeymaren smiles back at her father as she made her way to the wet tree and began to climb it almost with such ease.
Honeymaren had a gift when it came to climbing trees. She took to her advantage whenever she felt like messing with her brother or perhaps even spying on other children. But this time she was using it for hunting purposes and she felt all the better knowing her father was encouraging her.
"Do you see it now?" Whispered Ámmon to his daughter as she made her way to the large branch.
She focused her eyes to the forest, trying to see any sort of movement. But then her eyes widened because just a couple of yards out was a sheep. The white furred animal was eating wet grass and seemed to have been left behind from the herd.
"I see it!" She whispered back. "A sheep just a couple of yards away!" Even the rest of the hunters grew attentive and curious of where the animal was.
"Whoa... I see it too!" Whispered Ryder as he pointed out to where the sheep was."Maren, now is your chance." Said Ámmon. She did as she was told as she made herself comfortable, ready to throw her spear at the animal like she and Ryder had been training to do so. But when the spear was over head her world seemed to get bleak and shallow. Her heart beat raising and hype Palma of her hands were getting sweaty.
"Come on, Maren.what are you waiting for!?" Whispered Ryder more loudly this time. But her father knew what was going on, this was common for a first time hunter and so he dug the stick of his spear into the ground where it would stand by itself.
"Follow me son." He said as Ryder followed his example and did the same with his own spear. Soon thereafter the two boys were climbing up to the tree where Honeymaren had already lowered her weapon and had been playing with the sharp edge as if she had been pondering.
Hearing the footsteps, she turned around to find her father and brother approaching her. "Oh, hey guys." She said softly.
He smiled in return as he made himself comfortable next to his daughter with Ryder sitting on the other side.
"It's beautiful up here isn't it?" He started the conversation as he looked out to the forest. "Most people don't like rain, espeically your mother. I, on the other hand love it."
CRACK!
The thunder went of again except this time it was just a little louder than before. Just loud enough to scare his two kids as they shot their head up at the noise. "Oh there's nothing to be afraid you two." He said as he nuzzled his large hand on their heads. "It's too far away to hit us."
He turned his attention again to the sheep that was confusing to enjoy its meal. "You know I felt the same way when I went in my first hunt with your grandad."
Honeymarens expression grew curious as she lifted her eyes to meet her fathers. "Really?"
"Oh yes. I had been out in front of a young calf and I felt anxious because I was going to be taking this little animals life away. Part of me wanted to show I could do it so I could make the tribe and my father especially proud but part of me also wanted to run away."
"So what did you do?" Asked Ryder.
Ámmon smiled gently as he continued to look out to the forest. "Your grandfather kneeled next to me and said that everything works in a delicate balance. Although we hunt for food, that doesn't mean we are murderers, it just means we are providing for our family much like wolves provide for theirs."
Honeymaren and Ryder's expression slowly relaxed at hearing the soothing and encouraging words from their father. "Now, do you think you can do it, Maren?"
She pressed her lips together and after a moment she nodded. She stood up again to her feet and adjusted the spear in her hands as her father and brother watched from behind her. She lifted her spear up to her eye level slowly and with one deep inhale she threw the spear as fast as she was trained to do so.
SLING! BAAAHHHH...
The spear penetrated into the sheep's side as he fell to his side, calling out to his family, hoping they'd arrived. The hunters all ran to sound of the sheep and when they found the sheep on the ground they called out saying. "Successful hit!"
Ámmons eyes lit up with glee as did Ryder's as they embraced Honeymaren who only seemed to be surprised she had actually just been successful in her first hunt. "You did it, Maren!"
They ran back down and followed the rest of the party where they were surrounding the dying sheep. Honeymaren and Ryder surprisingly didn't seem faced whatsoever as they crouched down beside the sheep with their father.
"Okay Ryder, remember what to do?"
Ryder nodded at his father as he took out his small dagger that was hanging off his pelvic side. He gripped the dagger tightly in his hand and began to recite the Northuldran sorrowful prayer. " I see you, brother, and I thank you. Your spirit will return back to the Aurora, while your body will remain and become part of the People."
Following the prayer he dug his blade into the sheep's neck, instantly killing him in the most humane and respectful way. Once the sheep stopped squirming and breathing the rest of the hunters behind them began to cheer and sing praises to the Northern Lights, congratulating Honeymaren and Ryder for their first hunt.
They were full of delight as they watched their father smile proudly and lovingly at them. He gently bent down and with the tips of his fingers he dipped them in the sheep's blood and then turned his attention back to the twins.
"Honeymaren Nattura, Ryder Nattura. On this day you have proved yourself worthy as you have slain this delicate animal of the forest and from this day forward you shall be known as Northuldran Warriors, protectors of the forest and the people of the sun."
He gently slid his bloody finger tips down his children's face, marking them in the sheep's blood, tradition of one becoming a Northuldran warrior.
Honeymaren looked up at her father, her eyes full of gratitude as he smiled proudly down at her with his brown eyes. "May you always remember that this is our home, and we are to always protect it and it's people at all costs."
"Always."
—
CRACK!
The loud sound of thunder snapped Honeymaren out of her flashback as her late fathers words still rung true to her ear as she continued to dash through the forest with her brother and his reindeer following behind.
Shortly after her father passed away four years ago, Honeymaren was named leader of the Northuldran Warriors, taking you her late fathers role. It get right, everyone in the hunting party including Ryder agreed that she was the most qualified out of all of them.
Not only did she become the first women to ever be a Northuldran warrior and leader, but she also inspired many other young women to follow in her footsteps, and many did join Honeymaren in becoming one with the group.
Honeymaren loved her father, and when he died she vowed to always honor him and her people by leading the Northuldran Warriors in example. Many agreed she had the same personality as her father. Strong, brave and courageous.
And so now she was chasing after a man, a mysterious man who was supposed to be just a myth. She didn't have time to rally up the other Northuldran Warriors, but she was going to sure she and her brother bring him down and never invade their people's camp ever again.
And if she had to do it on her own then so be it.
The storm was rising. The winds were picking up stronger by the minute and the clouds were turning grey with lighting building up as well. But nothing compared to what the four peaks looked like right now. They looked as if a giant tornado had wrapped itself around the tall peaks and the lightning was out of control.
They've arrived just in front of the four peaks and she pulled on her reindeers antlers, causing him to hault. "Do you see him anywhere??" Shouted Honeymaren as she turned to her brother, just loud enough for him to hear.
"I think he went up that trail!" Shouted Ryder as he pointed behind Honeymaren. Sure enough behind her was a hidden and foggy deserted trail that seemed to lead up to the top of the mountain. She jumped from her reindeer and tied the leashes of the antlers beside a bush where Ryder followed and did the same with his own reindeer.
"Lets go then." She said grabbing her father spear in her hands as she turned her attention back to the trail. She and her brother made their way up rapidly but carefully, they had to keep one hand on the wet rocky cliffs at all times while keeping an eye out for any sign of the mysterious man they had seen this morning.
They reached the top of the four peaks and they could practically see the whole enchanted forest from where they were standing at. Even oceans that separated many other kingdoms and countries. The desired campsite was surrounded by a forest that had continued up in the four peaks.
The air was harder to breathe because of the altitude but luckily for them they were used to it. The rain was cold, hard and moving very rapidly. Their clothes were practically drenched but they didn't care, neither did it seem to be bothering them since they continued to stand back to back while their spears pointed outwards, ready to strike at any moment.
They practically encircled the deserted campsite three times before they stopped and slowly lowered their spears down. "He isn't here..." sighed Ryder.
But in the middle if the deserted camp was a fire pit made of rocks, not even the Norhuldran people made their fires on this style.
"He is, he's just hiding." Replied Honeymaren as she continued to stare at the fire pit. She moved the top dark and wet hair away from her eyes. "We need to split up."
"What?" Said Ryder with widened eyes as he saw his sister start to head off the other way.
"It's the only way he'll be able to show himself." Said HoneyMaren as she continued to walk away.
"I'm not going to let you go by yourself!" said Ryder following after his sister. "This is a terrible terrible idea— whoa!" Exclaimed Ryder suddenly as he fell face first to the floor. Honeymaren gasped as she quickly shot her head back around to see her brother screaming and being dragged quite literally from the muddy ground and into the dark trees and bushes
"Ryder!" She exclaimed as she ran to her brother who was struggling and trying to cut the rope around his legs that was dragging him closer and closer to the hidden trees. But Honeymaren being the fast person she is, dived and grabbed ahold of her brother's hands. She tried pulling him back but whatever seemed to be dragging him was strong. So instead she swung her spear down to his feet, cutting the ropes free of their grab.
She turned to her brother, wrapping her arms around his body to lift him back up on his feet. "Are you okay??" She asked as he stood up straight. He quickly nodded a reassuring yes to her until they both turned their attention to the rope that had been cut free. It was being pulled back into the hidden trees, even without anything at the end.
The Northuldran twins watched cautiously as it disappeared into the dark hidden trees as if it were a snake, never having been there in the first place as
Ryder slowly picked up his spear from the ground and followed his sisters example who brought her own spear outwards from her torso. They stood next to each other with their sharp spears poited to the dark trees where the rope had disappeared to.
They're backs hunched over, ready to attack whatever it was that had come from the darkness. The storm was louder, the rain was heavier and the winds were not forgiving.
Suddenly in a blink of an eye, a loud and thunderous lightning filled the sky which caused the dark hidden trees to appear, even causing him to appear.
There in front of them was the dark shadowy figure, the very one that Honeymaren and Ryder had just seen lurking in their campsite not too long ago. He was standing tall and authoritative. His fists were clenched and his eyes were glaring at both of them. His emerald eyes.
Honeymaren and Ryder's eyes widened with fear. They had never been so close in person to the shadowy figure. His clothing, armor and cape were drenched but that only made him all the more terrifying.
He was real. He was very real. And he did not seem to be in the mood to even talk at the moment because before any of them even knew it, he reached for his musket so quickly that the next thing Honeymaren and Ryder saw was a red spark followed by a viscous loud sound they never heard before.
BAM!
Both being afraid of what they were seeing, they immediately ran off and took cover behind a nearby boulder while the mysterious man continued to fire at them.
BAM! BAM!
"What is that!" Shouted Ryder as he and his sister ducked their heads.
"Elsa told me about that weapon, it fires a metal ball that will burn through your body!" Shouted Honeymaren back.
BAM!"Would it hurt?" Shouted Ryder as he ducked his head again, just right before a bullet could hit him.
BAM!
"Of course it would hurt!" Exclaimed Honeymaren as she ducked her head instinctively with her brother. About three more loud sounds from the musket went off until it suddenly grew dead silent again. The twins looked at each other, confused as to why he wasn't firing anymore. It was silent, too silent. Only the loud storm and drops of heavy rain could be heard.
"Is he gone?" Whispered Ryder.
SLING!
The twins gasped in fear as a small blade that was shaped like a star had dug into a wooden tree bark that just so happened to be right in the middle of both of them.
They looked out to the direction of where the blade came from and saw none other than the shadowy figure jumping up from boulder that had been hiding him.
"Run!" Shouted Honeymaren. Ryder wasted no time and quickly did as he was told and headed to the left while Honeymaren sprinted to the right.
The shadowy figure seeing this acted quickly and sprinted in hopes to catch up to Ryder. He was near inches away from grabbing him until his sister suddenly shouted. "Ryder, look behind you!"
With one quick glance Ryder quickly sprinted to the nearest tree nearby and jumped towards the tree only to then kick himself out of the way, giving him more than enough time to lose the shadowy figure.
The man quickly sprinted back to catch up with Ryder again but was suddenly met with a hard knee to left side of his face. The man grunted as he fell back but quickly rolled back up to his feet. This time Honeymaren was glaring at him with her fathers spear held tightly by her right hand.
The man glared back at her, his emerald eyes cruel and angry as lightning flashed behind him. He charged towards Honeymaren as she did the same. They both jumped up at the same time and in midair Honeymaren brought her spear down to strike the shadowy figure but the man blocked the shot with his metal spiked gauntlet that were strapped on his elbows.
Ryder took advantage and charged from behind him in hopes to strike his spear through him but the man somehow heard him and brought his other metal spiked gauntlet to block the shot. Honeymaren wasted no time and took advantage to strike again, as did Ryder. But the man was blocking and deflecting every single shot. Kicking, pushing and even punching them occasionally.
"Uff!" Grunted Honeymaren as the man kicked her so hard that it sent Honeymaren flying only to be met with a tree colliding to her neck and back, causing her vision to go blurry. The man turned his attention to a weakened and hurt Honeymaren to attack her but Ryder came from behind and took ahold of his worn out cape and tackled him to the ground. He was able to land two punches to his face but the man grabbed what would have been the third punch with his right hand and hit Ryder's forehead with his followed by a push to his stomach with with soles of his boots that it sent him flying as his back collided with ground hard. Ryder rolled over to reach for his spear while trying to gasp for air until he heard the footsteps of the man run towards him except this time he had pulled out the axe that he had been carrying in his side.
The man lifted the rather large axe over his head with one hand and brought it down violently to strike Ryder but he rolled over just in time as the axe struck the muddy ground, barely missing his neck. He swung three more times but Ryder once again squirmed out of the way and eventually made it back to his spear as the beaten up tree fell to the ground.
He stood up back to his feet and charged back to the shadowy figure, trying to jab the sharp edge through his heart but the man was such a skilled fighter that he countered every shot with his axe, usually landing more punches to Ryder's body.
But refusing to give up, Ryder charged at the man again, screaming in frustration, except this time the man wasn't so forgiving. He grabbed the sharp rocky edge of the spear with his half gloved hand which made Ryder's eyes widen in fear and in surprise and then he kneed Ryder's stomach which caused him to bend forward in pain and then brought his face down to collide against his knee.
Honeymaren gasped as she saw her brother come back up again with his nose bloody and dripping its way down to his mouth. His eyes were barely open now and was losing consciousness as the man jumped in mid air and kicked the Ryder's stomach so hard that it sent him flying backwards to the edge of the cliff.
Honeymaren was about to scream in horror until she saw her brother grab ahold of the cliff. Had he not done that he would have fallen to his death. Ryder was hurt, weak and gasping for air while trying not to let go of the slippery cliff.
"No, no, no, no..." grunted Honeymaren as she rose to her feet, hissing in pain as she held her stomach from the powerful kick she had received. She turned around to the tree she had been leaning on and with as much strength as she could summon she began to climb up the slippery tree. All while the man made his way to a defenseless Ryder who was just seconds away from falling to his death.
"Whoa!" Exclaimed Ryder as his right arm gave out. He was now holding unto dear life with his only his left hand. His fingers were slowly slipping away as he looked up to the man who was approaching him slowly with the axe still in his hands and the lightning flashing behind him.
The man stopped in front of him, glaring directly below at him with emerald eyes. Ryder gulped nervously as he continued to stare at the man, confused if he was going to kill him or not until suddenly—
"YAH!" Exclaimed Honeymaren as she jumped from the high trees and landed on top of the shadowy mans broad shoulders. She brought the wooden rod of her spear up to the mans throat, trying to choke the man as hard as she could as she wrapped her feet around his torso so he wouldn't push her off.
She growled with anger as she continued to pull the rod of the spear up, she could even hear him choke for air as he held on to her thighs, pressing his large fingers deep inside her skin and although it hurt her she chose to ignore the pain and instead quickly bent down with her flexible body to the ground and grabbed her brothers spear as she wrapped her legs tighter around his torso while now choking him with two spears at hand.
But the man only grew angrier as he grabbed the upper thigh of her hip so hard that it caused Honeymaren to grunt from the pain, he quickly took that to his advantage and spun her around where she was now facing him from the front now. Her eyes widen as the man started to pace forward quite fast.
He stopped right in front of a wet boulder and with his arms and hands he slammed her back straight to the boulder. Honeymaren gasped for air as her back and head collided against the hard material. She rolled to her side, still gasping in pain. The man jumped backwards and adjusted his neck from the uncomfortable position he had been choked from and turned his attention to a weak Honeymaren again who had begun to lift herself up, using the two spears for support.
The man paced forward to her but she quickly began to attack the man with two spears at hand while the man had no choice but no counter every attack with no weapon, just his gauntlets and fists.
There was a reason why Honeymaren was the leader of the Northuldran Warriors. She was skilled and she wielded her father and brothers spear with such grace that it prevented the man from able to take ahold of her, she was even able to run the two spears down his left arm to which he grunted out of frustration.
But it wasn't long that the man once again grabbed Ryder's sharp edged spear with his half gloved hand and pulled it away from her hands leaving her only with her own. The man then used Ryder's spear and blocked Honeymarens three hits and brought her hands up and punched her stomach hard again that it sent her flying backwards again as her spear slipped from her hands.
The man was angry as was the storm. He brought Ryder's spear up with both hands and then brought it down to his knee, breaking If in half into two pieces.
Honeymaren grunted from pain as she slowly started to crawl towards her spear. She turned back to see the man glaring at her and this time grab his musket once again that been strapped to his back. He pointed the rifle at her as her eyes widened in fear but quickly rolled over and fell over the boulder just right before he fired at her again and before she was able to reach her spear.
BAM!
The man was continuing to fire at her as she ducked her head. She quickly peeked her head out to see if her brother was still there to which he was but his fingers were slipping. She crawled to the other side of the camp to reach her brother who was still hanging from the cliff, his fingers couldn't take any longer and he was turning pale. All while the man continued to fire at her.
BAM! BAM!
"Ryder... Ryder grab my hand!" She exclaimed through the pain as she leaned down and out her right hand out. Ryder weak, pale and about to lose unconscious out all his effort in and stuck his right hand up. He was only inches away from hers as she continued to reach out to him until suddenly—
BAM!
The fire of the musket rang loud through the stormy skies again except this time it hit the ground right next to Honeymarens face which caused a few sparks to go into her eye.
"Ah!" She exclaimed as she threw herself backwards and scurried away to hide behind a large nearby boulder. She covered her eye with the palm of her hand. The hot sparks still burning in her eye, afraid that if she'll open them it'll hurt worse. But none of that pain was comparable to the worry she felt for her brother who was only seconds from falling to his death.
She painted heavily and the sound of the storm seemed to be growing quieter and quieter by the second. She could hear her heartbeat beating faster and louder. This was the end, this was the way she and her brother died. She should have never went after the man, let alone with none of the other warriors. Elsa was right...
Her eye ended up opening again and she found herself quietly leaning to see if Ryder was still hanging on. She saw his hand on the cliff, still hanging on by only three fingers now and then she gasped in fear.
A large half gloved palm hand wrapped tightly around Honeymarens neck. Her whole body was lifted by hard hand around her neck as it brought her up taller and taller there in front of her and the view from Ryder was the man from the shadows.
He stood tall, his dark cape flowing with the strong rainy wind and his musket pointed at her with his left hand, all while she looked up at him defensively, weak and hurt with no spear nearby as she started to gasp for air. She was face to face to him as his emerald eyes glared into her brown ones, all while he continued to squeeze her pipes harder and harder.
This was it, and by the look in the mans emerald eyes he was going to shoot her.
PAH!
But suddenly a magical shot of icy blast hit the mans grip on Honeymarens neck and the grip on his musket that they both slipped from his hands as Honeymaren and the musket fell to the ground. His eyes widened in surprise and in fear as he turned to the direction to see where the icy blast came from as did a coughing Honeymaren and charging at him was none other than Snow Queen with her majestic hoodie gown covering her head and her icy boots.
Elsa charged at him with a deathly glare of her own, her first clenched. The man turning his anger to her now, brought his fist up to punch her but Elsa quickly countered as she brought up a icy wall just tall enough to block the powerful fist that he was going to connect to her.
He punched the magical wall made of ice so hard that it cracked right down the middle and even caused Elsa to shake from the other side. He followed that up with a hard boot kick from his right foot which caused the magical ice wall to shatter into pieces and kick Elsa's stomach which sent her rolling backwards. But she quickly landed on her feet.
The man pulled out his pistol that was hanging from his belt and began to fire at Elsa as she ran around in circles around him. But the pistols only seemed to be hitting every single magical wall Elsa created in front of her, some bullets even getting stuck inside.
When trying to reload his pistol, Elsa took advantage and ran forward with a high jump to which she kicked his pistol out of his hand and then kicked his face which sent him backwards as well. Elsa quickly turned her attention to a weak Honeymaren who was watching them and holding the side of her stomach in pain. She stuck her hand out and caused ice to form benath Honeymarens feet and slide her backwards to where Ryder was hanging from.
The man did a kip-up back up to his feet and from his armor pulled out multiple of the small star shaped metal blade edges he had thrown to the twins and threw them towards Elsa. But she quickly countered and brought another wall of ice which caused the blades to stick directly into the wall.
The man glared at her again and charged at Elsa as did she and before Honeymaren knew it the two were engaging in a serious combat of punches and kicks that both of them seemed to be reflecting of each other.
"I got you, I got you..." grunted Honeymaren as she helped her weak and bloody brother back up from slippery edge and wrapped her arms around his head.
Elsa's magic helped her block and attack every single shot he tried to land on her. Everytime he tried to make contact with any part of her body she would make sure she punched and kicked him with a blast of her ice which only infuriated and hurt him more.
Elsa knew there was only one way to stop this man so with her hands she created another majestic spear made of ice except this time she made sure there was a sharp edge at the end. She swung at the man twice, each swing being blocked off by his gauntlets, but Elsa quickly turned her back to him and in that instant when the man was going to grab her she turned back around and stuck her spear into the mans left pectoral muscle.
SSLLLIINNNGGG!
The mans eyebrows furrowed. His right fist that he was going to use to punch her was still in the air. He shot a glare at Elsa who only glared at him equally, the spear still gripped firmly around her hands as she finished pushing the edge of the spear deeper into his left shoulder.
Even Honeymarens eyes widened in surprise. Elsa stood up straight again and backed away from the man, waiting for him to fall to the floor. But instead the mans surprised expression turned into a dark grimace.
The mans furrowed eyebrows slowly darkened which caused Elsa's eyes to widen this time. He stood up straight and with his right arm he pulled the spear completely off him followed by blood oozing out of his shoulder.
He showed no expression of pain whatsoever and Elsa only stared in disbelief as the man tightened his grip. Was he even human? Even Honeymarens mouth was parted in shock.
Suddenly he brought spear up to his eye level and threw it hard towards Elsa to which she jumped out of the way, the spear just barely missing her and going through a tree from such a tremendous force.
She turned her attention back to the man, charging at him again but this time he pulled a large dagger from his pocket. He moved the blade around his fingers in skilled fashion before striking Elsa repeatedly but she would counter every shot again with her arms and her magic.
His strikes were harder, stronger and angrier. So much anger that he would even break her ice occasionally. He moved out of the way just before Elsa blasted him with her magic and took his advantage to strike the blade into her leg and then roll out of the way.
"Ah!" She exclaimed in pain as she backed away from the sharp impact. There on her left inner thigh was a deep cut that was already streaming down her white dress with blood.
Her blood.
Her eyes widened. Never had she ever been cut before, and the last time she had bled was when she was a child.
She quickly went to cover the cut with her hands but immediately hissed in pain from the contact. She quickly turned her attention back to the man who was charging at her with the same dagger up to stab her but she quickly moved out of the way and when she was on her feet again she blasted him with her magic but this time she actually hit his stomach which sent him flying backwards and the knife falling from his hands.
She stood up on her feet again, almost losing her balance as she continued to hold the damaged area of her cut. The man had quickly stood up on his feet, slightly hiding his stomach from the icy blast. But one again he was so quick that he was charging at Elsa again.
But Elsa bit her lip despite her deep cut and ran towards the man and jumped as hard as she could and collided her knee to his face which sent him colliding his back to a tree. Elsa brought her two hands up to blast him again but he quickly rolled out of the way and reached the dagger that had fallen from his hands while her magic destroyed the tree he had been leaning on.
He turned his attention to Elsa again and drove the dagger to her direction but Elsa grabbed his arm and moved her head out of the way. The blade struck through the tree, inches beside her neck. He went to pull out the dagger out from the tree but Elsa quickly lifted her icy boots up and kicked his stomach hard again with the sharp heels which sent him rolling backwards.
She charged at him again, leaving his dagger stuck on the tree and went to kneee his face again. He rose up from the hit and sent her a combination of punches but she countered every single shot and this time she was hitting him harder and harder with her ice.
He grew angrier by each hit he was struck by and with his right hand he grabbed Elsa by the throat and picked her up from her feet, much in the same manner he did to Honeymaren. She gasped for air, his strong half gloved hand wrapped around her neck, squeezing her pipes harder and harder as she tightened her own grips around his fingers, trying to send icy cold through his hands in hopes to stop him from choking her any longer.
Eventually he threw her backwards and flexed his fingers from the cold Elsa had been sending and went after the dagger to stab her again. But Elsa lifted her head up after coughing for air and once again used her magic and created a small pool of frozen water below his feet that made him slip just right as he grabbed the dagger back in his pocession. He rose to his feeet but Elsa only continued to attack him and fast and as hard as she possibly could.
He drove his dagger at her in a large set of combinations but Elsa prevailed by blocking every shot and hitting him with a magic of her own. Eventually he went to stab her neck again but she grabbed his arm as hard as she could manage and with the slight chance she was given she sent a blasty ice up to his face which stuck his eyes and made him lose his eyesight for a second and in that instant she elbowned his face and grabbed his face and neck as hard as she could and threw him over her shoulder and in the process her white gown hoodie that covering her head uncovered as did his dark caped hoodie covering his head dropped from his as well and soon they were both uncovered from the rain.
But she was up in her feet already, and despite the bleeding in her thigh and her hair now being drenched from the rain and a unfamiliar object in her left palm, she extended her hands out in her usual attack position ready to freeze him to death if necessary.
She glared at the man who was facing his back to her angrily. Waiting for him to turn around and unveil his face to her so she could blast him out of existence. And as the man slowly turned around to meet her glare, so did the lightning strike again. But what Elsa saw made her hands slowly drop to her sides as her eyebrows began to furrow.
CRACK!The mans hair was auburn, long and unkept to the middle of his neck. Very auburn. His emerald eyes could be seen more clearly now that the top of his head wasn't hidden and she could even see his features more clearly now and it wasn't because of the thunderstorm.
His skin was very fair, a few freckles much like hers and roses cheeks. She could immediately tell that he wasn't Northuldran. But what stuck out to her the most was his eyes and depsite that the bottom of his nose down was still covered by his half mask, he still looked very familiar. Almost as if she'd had seen him before.
Then realizing the small object she had snatched from his neck, she slowly looked down to her palm to see what it was. But what she saw surprised her even more.
A necklace.
A small but beautiful necklace made of leather. Everything about it was leather, except a small golden piece of medal in the middle. She knew it was gold, she knew gold when she saw it. And on the golden piece was carved a lion.
This time her eyes widened even more as her heartbeat seemed to skip a beat. A lions face that was roaring in what seemed a family crest.
And then it hit her... she looked up to the auburned haired man again who continued to glare at her, her mouth parted open to speak but no words came out. The man tightened the grip on his dagger but then loud chants were heard.
Coming up the four peaks were the rest of the Northuldran Warriors. Each of them wielding spears in their hands. The mans eyes slowly widened at the multitude of the indigenous people heading his way. The loud chants made Elsa turn around for a split second but when she turned back to look at the man again he was gone as if he was never there.
She continued to look at the spot he was just at seconds ago, still processing everything she just learned.
"Elsa!" Came Honeymarens voice as she and Ryder who was holding unto her for support made their way over to her. "Are you okay??"
Elsa didn't meet Honeymarens face, instead she cotinued to stare out at the open forest. Still shocked from everything. She had just learned. "I...I..."
"You're hurt." Said HoneyMaren as she pointed to her bloody thigh. The sudden realization that she was in pain finally grabbed Elsa attention as she turned to her thigh again.
"There you are!" Exclaimed Ráffo, a member of the Northuldran warriors and childhood friend of Ámmon. He and the rest of the warriors made their way to the three of them. "Is everyone all right? Ryder, Honeymaren, Elsa??"
Honeymaren turned her attention back to Elsa who was back at staring at the empty space where the man was just at. The necklace still wrapped tightly around her hands.
"Elsa, are you okay?" Said HoneyMaren.
Her expression was still unfazed. Speechless and shocked as she looked back down to the necklace from the man she had taken from.
The Lion...
"I... I don't know..." she muttered back.
But she did know. Now she finally knew...
CRACK!
And the storm raged on...